Elephant washed away by river’s strong currents in eastern India
by Bhagyashree BarmanAn elephant was swept away by the strong currents of the Teesta River, in eastern India’s West Bengal.
The incident took place in the Gajoldoba area of Jalpaiguri district on June 18.
Visuals showed the baby elephant struggling with the heavy water flow during nighttime.
According to reports, the incident occurred due to incessant rains in the Sikkim hills and Bhutan, which caused flooding in the river.
A herd of about 15 to 17 elephants was crossing the Teesta dam when one of the elephants lost its footing and fell into the river. The elephant was then carried by the strong currents and got stuck at gate number 15 of the Gajoldoba dam. Local residents spotted the struggling elephant and promptly informed the forest department and the dam gate staff.
The flooding in the Teesta River posed a significant danger to the herd of elephants attempting to return to the forest. The continuous rain has made the river particularly treacherous, demonstrating the impact of extreme weather on wildlife in the region.